Computer technologies continue to advance at a rapid pace. Indeed, computers are used in almost all aspects of business, industry and academic endeavors. Improvements in computer technologies have been a force for bringing about great increases in business and industrial productivity. More and more homes are using computers as well.
There are many different kinds of computers in use today. The term “computer system” will be used herein to refer generally to any device or combination of devices that is capable of processing information to produce a desired result. Some examples of computer systems include personal computers, hand-held computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), servers, mainframes, supercomputers, minicomputers, workstations, microcomputers, microcontrollers, and the like.
Networking technology enables a group of computer systems to share resources (e.g., files, computer programs, printers, and scanners). Computer networks are becoming increasingly important to productivity and are found in almost all walks of life. Unfortunately, computer viruses and attacks by “hackers” are becoming more and more prevalent and threaten the stability and security of many networks.
Networks, are particularly vulnerable to attack when a new node is being added to a network. The new node may be infected by viruses or spyware, or may not be properly secured to prevent an attack by a hacker, potentially undermining the security of the entire network.
Unfortunately, known systems and methods for securely adding a node to a network suffer from various drawbacks. In particular, these solutions are expensive both in monetary terms and in terms of computing downtime. For example, some solutions require the installation of proprietary routers and switches, forcing network administrators to reconfigure the entire network and forcing the network owners to expend significant funds in reconstituting the network.
Accordingly, benefits may be realized by improved systems and methods for securely adding a node to a network in a cost effective manner. Some exemplary systems and methods for securely adding a node to a network are described herein.